J U D G E S

CHAP. VIII.

This chapter gives us a further account of
Gideon's victory over the Midianites, with the residue of the story
of his life and government. I. Gideon prudently pacifies the
offended Ephraimites, ver.
1-3. II. He bravely pursues the flying Midianites,
ver. 4, 10-12. III. He
justly chastises the insolence of the men of Succoth and Penuel,
who basely abused him (ver.
5-9), and were reckoned with for it, ver. 13-17. IV. He honourably slays the
two kings of Midian, ver.
18-21. V. After all this he modestly declines the
government of Israel, ver. 22,
23. VI. He foolishly gratified the superstitious humour
of his people by setting up an ephod in his own city, which proved
a great snare, ver.
24-27. VII. He kept the country quiet for forty years,
ver. 28. VIII. He died in
honour, and left a numerous family behind him, ver. 29-32. IX. Both he and his God were
soon forgotten by ungrateful Israel, ver. 33-35.

Gideon Pacifies the
Ephraimites. (b. c. 1249.)

1 And the men of Ephraim said unto him, Why hast
thou served us thus, that thou calledst us not, when thou wentest
to fight with the Midianites? And they did chide with him sharply.
2 And he said unto them, What have I done now in comparison
of you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better
than the vintage of Abiezer? 3 God hath delivered into your
hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb: and what was I able to
do in comparison of you? Then their anger was abated toward him,
when he had said that.

No sooner were the Midianites, the common
enemy, subdued, than, through the violence of some hot spirits, the
children of Israel were ready to quarrel among themselves; an
unhappy spark was struck, which, if Gideon had not with a great
deal of wisdom and grace extinguished immediately, might have
broken out into a flame of fatal consequence. The Ephraimites, when
they brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon as general,
instead of congratulating him upon his successes and addressing him
with thanks for his great services, as they ought to have done,
picked a quarrel with him and grew very hot upon it.

I. Their accusation was very peevish and
unreasonable: Why didst thou not call us when thou wentest to
fight with the Midianites? v. 1. Ephraim was brother to Manasseh,
Gideon's tribe, and had the pre-eminence in Jacob's blessing and in
Moses's, and therefore was very jealous of Manasseh, lest that
tribe should at any time eclipse the honour of theirs. Hence we
find Manasseh against Ephraim and Ephraim against Manasseh,
Isa. ix. 21. A brother
offended is harder to be won than a strong city, and their
contentions are as the bars of a castle, Prov. xviii. 19. But how unjust was their
quarrel with Gideon! They were angry that he did not send for them
to begin the attack upon Midian, as well as to follow the blow. Why
were they not called to lead the van? The post of honour, they
thought, belonged to them. But, 1. Gideon was called of God, and
must act as he directed; he neither took the honour to himself nor
did he himself dispose of honours, but left it to God to do all. So
that the Ephraimites, in this quarrel, reflected upon the divine
conduct; and what was Gideon that they murmured against him?
2. Why did not the Ephraimites offer themselves willingly to the
service? They knew the enemy was in their country, and had heard of
the forces that were raising to oppose them, to which they ought to
have joined themselves, in zeal for the common cause, though they
had not a formal invitation. Those seek themselves more than God
that stand upon a point of honour to excuse themselves from doing
real service to God and their generation. In Deborah's time there
was a root of Ephraim, ch. v.
14. Why did not this appear now? The case itself called
them, they needed not wait for a call from Gideon. 3. Gideon had
saved their credit in not calling them. If he had sent for them, no
doubt may of them would have gone back with the faint-hearted, or
been dismissed with the lazy, slothful, and intemperate; so that by
not calling them he prevented the putting of those slurs upon them.
Cowards will seem valiant when the danger is over, but those
consult their reputation who try not their courage when danger is
near.

II. Gideon's answer was very calm and
peaceable, and was intended not so much to justify himself as to
please and pacify them, v. 2,
3. He answers them, 1. With a great deal of meekness and
temper. He did not resent the affront, nor answer anger with anger,
but mildly reasoned the case with them, and he won as true honour
by this command which he had over his own passion as by his victory
over the Midianites. He that is slow to anger is better than the
mighty. 2. With a great deal of modesty and humility,
magnifying their performances above his own: Is not the gleaning
of the grapes of Ephraim, who picked up the stragglers of the
enemy, and cut off those of them that escaped, better than the
vintage of Abiezer—a greater honour to them, and better
service to the country, than the first attack Gideon made upon
them? The destruction of the church's enemies is compared to a
vintage, Rev. xiv. 18. In
this he owns their gleanings better than his gatherings. The
improving of a victory is often more honourable, and of greater
consequence, than the winning of it; in this they had signalized
themselves, and their own courage and conduct, or, rather, God had
dignified them; for thought, to magnify their achievements, he is
willing to diminish his own performances, yet he will not take any
flowers from God's crown to adorn theirs with: "God has
delivered into your hands the princes of Midian, and a great
slaughter has been made of the enemy by your numerous hosts, and
what was I able to do with 300 men, in comparison of
you and your brave exploits?" Gideon stands here a very great
example of self-denial, and this instance shows us, (1.) That
humility of deportment is the best way to remove envy. It is true
even right works are often envied, Eccl.
iv. 4. Yet they are not so apt to be so when those who
do them appear not to be proud of them. Those are malignant indeed
who seek to cast down from their excellency those that humble and
abase themselves, (2.) It is likewise the surest method of ending
strife, for only by pride comes contention, Prov. xiii. 10. (3.) Humility is most
amiable and admirable in the midst of great attainments and
advancements. Gideon's conquests did greatly set off his
condescensions. (4.) It is the proper act of humility to esteem
others better than ourselves, and in honour to prefer one
another.

Now what was the issue of this controversy?
The Ephraimites had chidden with him sharply (v. 1), forgetting the respect
due to their general and one whom God had honoured, and giving vent
to their passion in a very indecent liberty of speech, a certain
sign of a weak and indefensible cause. Reason runs low when the
chiding flies high. But Gideon's soft answer turned away their
wrath, Prov. xv. 1.
Their anger was abated towards him, v. 3. It is intimated that they
retained some resentment, but he prudently overlooked it and let it
cool by degrees. Very great and good men must expect to have their
patience tried by the unkindnesses and follies even of those they
serve and must not think it strange.

Gideon Pursues the
Midianites. (b. c. 1249.)

4 And Gideon came to Jordan, and passed
over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him,
faint, yet pursuing them. 5 And he said unto the men
of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto the people that
follow me; for they be faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah
and Zalmunna, kings of Midian. 6 And the princes of Succoth
said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand,
that we should give bread unto thine army? 7 And Gideon
said, Therefore when the Lord hath
delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into mine hand, then I will tear your
flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers. 8
And he went up thence to Penuel, and spake unto them likewise: and
the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered
him. 9 And he spake also unto the men of Penuel,
saying, When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower.
10 Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their
hosts with them, about fifteen thousand men, all that were
left of all the hosts of the children of the east: for there fell
an hundred and twenty thousand men that drew sword. 11 And
Gideon went up by the way of them that dwelt in tents on the east
of Nobah and Jogbehah, and smote the host: for the host was secure.
12 And when Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued after them,
and took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and
discomfited all the host. 13 And Gideon the son of Joash
returned from battle before the sun was up, 14 And
caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and enquired of him: and
he described unto him the princes of Succoth, and the elders
thereof, even threescore and seventeen men. 15 And he
came unto the men of Succoth, and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna,
with whom ye did upbraid me, saying, Are the hands of Zebah
and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thy
men that are weary? 16 And he took the elders of the
city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he
taught the men of Succoth. 17 And he beat down the tower of
Penuel, and slew the men of the city.

In these verses we have,

I. Gideon, as a valiant general, pursuing
the remaining Midianites, and bravely following his blow. A very
great slaughter was made of the enemy at first: 120,000 men that
drew the sword, v.
10. Such a terrible execution did they make among
themselves, and so easy a prey were they to Israel. But, it seems,
the two kings of Midian, being better provided than the rest for an
escape, with 15,000 men got over Jordan before the passes could be
secured by the Ephraimites, and made towards their own country.
Gideon thinks he does not fully execute his commission to save
Israel if he let them escape. He is not content to chase them out
of the country, but he will chase them out of the world,Job xviii. 18. This
resolution is here pushed on with great firmness, and crowned with
great success.

1. His firmness was very exemplary. He
effected his purpose under the greatest disadvantages and
discouragements that could be. (1.) He took none with him but his
300 men, who now laid aside their trumpets and torches, and betook
themselves to their swords and spears. God had said, By these
300 men will I save you (ch.
vii. 7); and, confiding in that promise, Gideon kept to
them only, v. 4. He
expected more from 300 men, supported by a particular promise, than
from so many thousands supported only by their own valour. (2.)
They were faint, and yet pursuing, much fatigued with what
they had done, and yet eager to do more against the enemies of
their country. Our spiritual warfare must thus be prosecuted with
what strength we have, though we have but little; it is many a time
the true Christina's case, fainting and yet pursuing. (3.) Though
he met with discouragement from those of his own people, was jeered
for what he was doing, as going about what he could never
accomplish, yet he went on with it. If those that should be our
helpers in the way of our duty prove hindrances to us, let not this
drive us off from it. Those know not how to value God's acceptance
that know not how to despise the reproaches and contempts of men.
(4.) He made a very long march by the way of those that dwelt in
tents (v. 11),
either because he hoped to find them kinder to him than the men of
Succoth and Penuel, that dwelt in walled towns (sometimes there is
more generosity and charity found in country tents than in city
palaces), or because that was a road in which he would be least
expected, and therefore that way it would be the greater surprise
to them. It is evident he spared no pains to complete his victory.
Now he found it an advantage to have his 300 men such as could bear
hunger, and thirst, and toil. It should seem, he set upon the enemy
by night, as he had done before, for the host was secure.
The security of sinners often proves their ruin, and dangers are
most fatal when least feared.

2. His success was very encouraging to
resolution and industry in a good cause. He routed the army
(v. 11), and took
the two kings prisoners, v.
12. Note, The fear of the wicked shall come upon him.
Those that think to run from the sword of the Lord and of
Gideon do but run upon it. If he flee from the iron
weapon, yet the bow of steel shall strike him through;
for evil pursueth sinners.

II. Here is Gideon, as a righteous judge,
chastising the insolence of the disaffected Israelites, the men of
Succoth and the men of Penuel, both in the tribe of Gad, on the
other side Jordan.

1. Their crime was great. Gideon, with a
handful of feeble folk was pursuing the common enemy, to complete
the deliverance of Israel. His way led him through the city of
Succoth first and afterwards of Penuel. He expected not that the
magistrates should meet him in their formalities, congratulate him
upon his victory, present him with the keys of their city, and give
him a treat, much less that they should send forces in to his
assistance, though he was entitled to all this; but he only begs
some necessary food for his soldiers that were ready to faint for
want, and he does it very humbly and importunately: Give, I pray
you, loaves of bread unto the people that follow me, v. 5. The request would have
been reasonable if they had been but poor travellers in distress;
but considering that they were soldiers, called, and chose, and
faithful (Rev. xvii.
14), men whom God had greatly honoured and to whom
Israel was highly obliged, who had done great service to their
country and were now doing more,—that they were conquerors, and
had power to put them under contribution,—and that they were
fighting God's battles and Israel's,—nothing could be more just
than that their brethren should furnish them with the best
provisions their city afforded. But the princes of Succoth neither
feared God nor regarded man. For, (1.) In contempt of God,
they refused to answer the just demands of him whom God had raised
up to save them, affronted him, bantered him, despised the success
he had already been honoured with, despaired of the success of his
present undertaking, did what they could to discourage him in
prosecuting the war, and were very willing to believe that the
remaining forces of Midian, which they had now seen march through
their country, would be too hard for him: Are the hands of Zebah
and Zalmunna now in thy hand? "No, nor ever will be," so they
conclude, judging by the disproportion of numbers. (2.) The bowels
of their compassion were shut up against their brethren; they were
as destitute of love as they were of faith, would not give morsels
of bread (so some read it) to those that were ready to perish. Were
these princes? were these Israelites? unworthy either title, base
and degenerate men! Surely they were worshippers of Baal, or in the
interests of Midian. The men of Penuel gave the same answer to the
same request, defying the sword of the Lord and of Gideon,v. 8.

2. The warning he gave them of the
punishment of their crime was very fair. (1.) He did not punish it
immediately, because he would not lose so much time from the
pursuit of the enemy that were flying from him, because he would
not seem to do it in a neat of passion, and because he would do it
more to their shame and confusion when he had completed his
undertaking, which they thought impracticable. But, (2.) He told
them how he would punish it (v. 7, 9), to show the confidence he
had of success in the strength of God, and that, if they had the
least grain of grace and consideration left, they might upon second
thoughts repent of their folly, humble themselves, and contrive how
to atone for it, by sending after him succours and supplies, which
if they had done, no doubt, Gideon would have pardoned them. God
gives notice of danger, and space to repent, that sinners may
flee from the wrath to come.

3. The warning being slighted, the
punishment, though very severe, was really very just.

(1.) The princes of Succoth were first made
examples. Gideon got intelligence of their number, seventy-seven
men, their names, and places of abode, which were described in
writing to him, v.
14. And, to their great surprise, when they thought he
had scarcely overtaken the Midianites, he returned a conqueror. His
300 men were now the ministers of his justice; they secured all
these princes, and brought them before Gideon, who showed them his
royal captives in chains. "These are the men you thought me an
unequal match for, and would give me no assistance in the pursuit
of," v. 15. And he
punished them with thorns and briers, but, it should seem, not unto
death. With these, [1.] He tormented their bodies, either by
scourging or by rolling them in the thorns and briers; some way or
other he tore their flesh, v. 7. Those shall have judgment without
mercy that have shown no mercy. Perhaps he observed them to be soft
and delicate men, who despised him and his company for their
roughness and hardiness, and therefore Gideon thus mortified them
for their effeminacy. [2.] He instructed their minds: With these
he taught the men of Succoth, v. 16. The correction he gave them was
intended, not for destruction, but wholesome discipline, to make
them wiser and better for the future. He made them know (so
the word is), made them know themselves and their folly, God and
their duty, made them know who Gideon was, since they would not
know by the success wherewith God had crowned him. Note, Many are
taught with the briers and thorns of affliction that would not
learn otherwise. God gives wisdom by the rod and reproof,
chastens and teaches, and by correction opens the ear
to discipline. Our blessed Saviour, though he was a Son, yet
learnt obedience by the things which he suffered, Heb. v. 8. Let every pricking
brier, and grieving thorn, especially when it becomes a
thorn in the flesh, be thus interpreted, thus improved. "By
this God designs to teach me; what good lesson shall I learn?"

(2.) The doom of the men of Penuel comes
next, and it should seem he used them more severely than the other,
for good reason, no doubt, v.
17. [1.] He beat down their tower, of which they
gloried, in which they trusted, perhaps scornfully advising Gideon
and his men rather to secure themselves in that than to pursue the
Midianites. What men make their pride is justly by its ruin made
their shame. [2.] He slew the men of the city, not all,
perhaps not the elders or princes, but those that had affronted
him, and those only. He slew some of the men of the city that were
most insolent and abusive, for terror to the rest, and so he
taught the men of Penuel.

Zebah and Zalmunna Slain. (b. c. 1249.)

18 Then said he unto Zebah and Zalmunna, What
manner of men were they whom ye slew at Tabor? And they
answered, As thou art, so were they; each one
resembled the children of a king. 19 And he said, They
were my brethren, even the sons of my mother:
as the Lord liveth, if ye had
saved them alive, I would not slay you. 20 And he said unto
Jether his firstborn, Up, and slay them. But the youth drew
not his sword: for he feared, because he was yet a youth.
21 Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise thou, and fall upon
us: for as the man is, so is his strength. And Gideon arose,
and slew Zebah and Zalmunna, and took away the ornaments that
were on their camels' necks.

Judgment began at the house of God,
in the just correction of the men of Succoth and Penuel, who were
Israelites, but it did not end there. The kings of Midian, when
they had served to demonstrate Gideon's victories, and grace his
triumphs, must now be reckoned with. 1. They are indicted for the
murder of Gideon's brethren some time ago at Mount Tabor. When the
children of Israel, for fear of the Midianites, made themselves
dens in the mountains (ch. vi. 2), those young men, it is
likely, took shelter in that mountain, where they were found by
these two kings, and most basely and barbarously slain in cold
blood. When he asks them what manner of men they were
(v. 18), it is not
because he was uncertain of the thing, or wanted proof of it; he
was not so little concerned for his brethren's blood as not to
enquire it out before now, nor were these proud tyrants solicitous
to conceal it. But he puts that question to them that by their
acknowledgment of the more than ordinary comeliness of the persons
they slew their crime might appear the more heinous, and
consequently their punishment the more righteous. They could not
but own that, though they were found in a mean and abject
condition, yet they had an unusual greatness and majesty in their
countenances, not unlike Gideon himself at this time: they
resembled the children of a king, born for something great.
2. Being found guilty of this murder by their own confession,
Gideon, though he might have put them to death as Israel's judge
for the injuries done to that people in general, as Oreb and Zeeb
(ch. vii. 25), yet
chooses rather to put on the character of an avenger of
blood, as next of kin to the persons slain: They were my
brethren, v. 19.
Their other crimes might have been forgiven, at least Gideon would
not have slain them himself, let them have answered it to the
people; but the voice of his brethren's blood cries, cries
to him, now it is in the power of his hand to avenge it, and
therefore there is no remedy—by him must their blood be
shed, though they were kings. Little did they think to hear of
this so long after; but murder seldom goes unpunished even in this
life. 3. The execution is done by Gideon himself with his own hand,
because he was the avenger of blood; he bade his son slay
them, for he was a near relation to the persons murdered, and
fittest to be his father's substitute and representative, and he
would thus train him up to the acts of justice and boldness,
v. 20. But, (1.) The
young man himself desired to be excused; he feared, though they
were bound and could make no resistance, because he was yet a
youth, and not used to such work: courage does not always run
in the blood. (2.) The prisoners themselves desired that Gideon
would excuse it (v.
21), begged that, if they must die, they might die by
his own hand, which would be somewhat more honourable to them,
and more easy; for by his great strength they would sooner be
dispatched and rid out of their pain. As is the man, so is his
strength. Either they mean it of themselves (they were men of
such strength as called for a better hand than that young man's to
overpower quickly) or of Gideon, "Thou art at thy full strength; he
has not yet come to it; therefore be thou the executioner." From
those that are grown up to maturity, it is expected that what they
do in any service be done with so much the more strength. Gideon
dispatched them quickly, and seized the ornaments that were on
their camels' necks, ornaments like the moon, so it is in the
margin, either badges of their royalty or perhaps of their
idolatry, for Ashteroth was represented by the moon, as Baal by the
sun. With there he took all their other ornaments, as appears
v. 26, where we find
that he did not put them to so good a use as one would have wished.
The destruction of these two kings, and that of the two princes
(ch. vii. 25) is
long afterwards pleaded as a precedent in prayer for the ruin of
others of the church's enemies, Ps.
lxxxiii. 11, Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb,
and all their princes as Zebah and Zalmunna, let them all be
but off in like manner.

Gideon Declines the Proffered
Crown. (b. c. 1249.)

22 Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule
thou over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son's son also: for
thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian. 23 And
Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my
son rule over you: the Lord shall
rule over you. 24 And Gideon said unto them, I would desire
a request of you, that ye would give me every man the earrings of
his prey. (For they had golden earrings, because they were
Ishmaelites.) 25 And they answered, We will willingly give
them. And they spread a garment, and did cast therein every
man the earrings of his prey. 26 And the weight of the
golden earrings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred
shekels of gold; beside ornaments, and collars, and purple
raiment that was on the kings of Midian, and beside the
chains that were about their camels' necks. 27 And
Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even
in Ophrah: and all Israel went thither a whoring after it: which
thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house. 28 Thus
was Midian subdued before the children of Israel, so that they
lifted up their heads no more. And the country was in quietness
forty years in the days of Gideon.

Here is, I. Gideon's laudable modesty,
after his great victory, in refusing the government which the
people offered him. 1. It was honest in them to offer it: Rule
thou over us, for thou hast delivered us, v. 22. They thought it very reasonable
that he who had gone through the toils and perils of their
deliverance should enjoy the honour and power of commanding them
ever afterwards, and very desirable that he who in this great and
critical juncture had had such manifest tokens of God's presence
with him should ever afterwards preside in their affairs. Let us
apply it to the Lord Jesus: he hath delivered us out of the hands
of our enemies, our spiritual enemies, the worst and most
dangerous, and therefore it is fit he should rule over us; for how
can we be better ruled than by one that appears to have so great an
interest in heaven and so great a kindness for this earth? We are
delivered that we may serve him without fear, Luke i. 74, 75. 2. It was
honourable in him to refuse it: I will not rule over you,v. 23. What he did
was with a design to serve them, not to rule them—to make them
safe, easy, and happy, not to make himself great or honourable.
And, as he was not ambitious of grandeur himself, so he did not
covet to entail it upon his family: "My son shall not rule over
you, either while I live or when I am gone, but the Lord
shall still rule over you, and constitute your judges by
the special designation of his own Spirit, as he has done." This
intimates, (1.) His modesty, and the mean opinion he had of himself
and his own merits. He thought the honour of doing good was
recompence enough for all his services, which needed not to be
rewarded with the honour of bearing sway. He that is greatest,
let him be your minister. (2.) His piety, and the great opinion
he had of God's government. Perhaps he discerned in the people a
dislike of the theocracy, or divine government, a desire of a king
like the nations, and thought they availed themselves of his merits
as a colourable pretence to move for this change of government. But
Gideon would by no means admit it. No good man can be pleased with
any honour done to himself which ought to be peculiar to God.
Were you baptized in the name of Paul? 1 Cor. i. 13.

II. Gideon's irregular zeal to perpetuate
the remembrance of this victory by an ephod made of the choicest of
the spoils. 1. He asked the men of Israel to give him the ear-rings
of their prey; for such ornaments they stripped the slain of in
abundance. These he demanded, either because they were the finest
gold, and therefore fittest for a religious use, or because they
had had as ear-rings some superstitious signification, which he
thought too well of. Aaron called for the ear-rings to make the
golden calf of, Exod. xxxii.
2. These Gideon begged v. 24. And he had reason enough to
think that those who offered him a crown, when he declined it,
would not deny him their ear-rings, when he begged them, nor did
they, v. 25. 2. He
himself added the spoil he took from the kings of Midian, which, it
should seem, had fallen to his share, v. 26. The generals had that part of
the prey which was most splendid, the prey of divers
colours, ch. v.
30. 3. Of this he made an ephod, v. 27. It was plausible enough, and
might be well intended to preserve a memorial of so divine a
victory in the judge's own city. But it was a very unadvised thing
to make that memorial to be an ephod, a sacred garment. I would
gladly put the best construction that can be upon the actions of
good men, and such a one we are sure Gideon was. But we have reason
to suspect that this ephod had, as usual, a teraphim annexed to it
(Hos. iii. 4), and that,
having an altar already built by divine appointment (ch. vi. 26), which he
erroneously imagined he might still use for sacrifice, he intended
this for an oracle, to be consulted in doubtful cases. So the
learned Dr. Spencer supposes. Each tribe having now very much its
government within itself, they were too apt to covet their religion
among themselves. We read very little of Shiloh, and the ark there,
in all the story of the Judges. Sometimes by divine dispensation,
and much oftener by the transgression of men, that law which
obliged them to worship only at that one altar seems not to have
been so religiously observed as one would have expected, any more
than afterwards, when in the reigns even of very good kings the
high places were not taken away, from which we may infer that
that law had a further reach as a type of Christ, by whose
mediation alone all our services are accepted. Gideon therefore,
through ignorance or inconsideration, sinned in making this ephod,
though he had a good intention in it. Shiloh, it is true, was not
far off, but it was in Ephraim, and that tribe had lately
disobliged him (v.
1), which made him perhaps not care to go so often among
them as his occasions would lead him to consult the oracle, and
therefore he would have one nearer home. However this might be
honestly intended, and at first did little hurt, yet in process of
time, (1.) Israel went a whoring after it, that is, they
deserted God's altar and priesthood, being fond of change, and
prone to idolatry, and having some excuse for paying respect to
this ephod, because so good a man as Gideon had set it up, and by
degrees their respect to it grew more and more superstitious. Note,
Many are led into false ways by one false step of a good man. The
beginning of sin, particularly of idolatry and will-worship, is
as the letting forth of water, so it has been found in the
fatal corruptions of the church of Rome; therefore leave it off
before it be meddled with. (2.) It became a snare to Gideon
himself, abating his zeal for the house of God in his old age, and
much more to his house, who were drawn by it into sin, and it
proved the ruin of the family.

III. Gideon's happy agency for the repose
of Israel, v. 28.
The Midianites that had been so vexatious gave them no more
disturbance. Gideon, though he would not assume the honour and
power of a king, governed as a judge, and did all the good offices
he could for his people; so that the country was in quietness
forty years. Hitherto the times of Israel had been reckoned by
forties. Othniel judged forty years, Ehud eighty—just two forties,
Barak forty, and now Gideon forty, providence so ordering it to
bring in mind the forty years of their wandering in the wilderness.
Forty years long was I grieved with this generation. And see
Ezek. iv. 6. After these, Eli
ruled forty years (1 Sam. iv.
18), Samuel and Saul forty (Acts xiii. 21), David forty, and Solomon
forty. Forty years is about an age.

Israel's Return to Idolatry. (b. c. 1249.)

29 And Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt
in his own house. 30 And Gideon had threescore and ten sons
of his body begotten: for he had many wives. 31 And his
concubine that was in Shechem, she also bare him a son,
whose name he called Abimelech. 32 And Gideon the son of
Joash died in a good old age, and was buried in the sepulchre of
Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. 33 And it
came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of
Israel turned again, and went a whoring after Baalim, and made
Baal-berith their god. 34 And the children of Israel
remembered not the Lord their God,
who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on
every side: 35 Neither showed they kindness to the house of
Jerubbaal, namely, Gideon, according to all the goodness
which he had showed unto Israel.

We have here the conclusion of the story of
Gideon. 1. He lived privately, v. 29. He was not puffed up with his
great honours, did not covet a palace or castle to dwell in, but
retired to the house he had lived in before his elevation. Thus
that brave Roman who was called from the plough upon a sudden
occasion to command the army when the action was over returned to
his plough again. 2. His family was multiplied. He had many wives
(therein he transgressed the law); by them he had seventy sons
(v. 30), but by a
concubine he had one whom he named Abimelech (which
signifies, my father a king), that proved the ruin of his
family, v. 31. 3. He
died in honour, in a good old age, when he had lived as long as he
was capable of serving God and his country; and who would desire to
live any longer? And he was buried in the sepulchre of his
fathers. 4. After his death the people corrupted themselves,
and went all to naught. As soon as ever Gideon was dead, who had
kept them close to the worship of the God of Israel, they found
themselves under no restraint, and then they went a whoring
after Baalim, v.
33. They went a whoring first after another ephod
(v. 27), for which
irregularity Gideon had himself given them too much occasion, and
now they went a whoring after another god. False worships made way
for false deities. They now chose a new god (ch. v. 8), a god of a new name,
Baal-berith (a goddess, say some); Berith, some think, was
Berytus, the place where the Phoenicians worshipped this idol. The
name signifies the Lord of a covenant. Perhaps he was so
called because his worshippers joined themselves by covenant to
him, in imitation of Israel's covenanting with God; for the devil
is God's ape. In this revolt of Israel to idolatry they showed,
(1.) Great ingratitude to God (v. 34): They remembered not the
Lord, not only who had delivered them into the hands of their
enemies, to punish them for their idolatry, but who had also
delivered them out of the hands of their enemies, to invite
them back again into his service; both the judgments and the
mercies were forgotten, and the impressions of them lost. (2.)
Great ingratitude to Gideon, v.
35. A great deal of goodness he had shown unto
Israel, as a father to his country, for which they ought to
have been kind to his family when he was gone, for that is one way
by which we ought to show ourselves grateful to our friends and
benefactors, and may be returning their kindnesses when they are in
their graves. But Israel showed not this kindness to Gideon's
family, as we shall find in the next chapter. No wonder if those
who forget their God forget their friends.